A hauntingly beautiful film

Rating: 9/10 (12 August 2002)

My husband and I attended a free preview showing of this film in 1999 with other members of the D.C. Film Society. Just two days ago, we found a DVD release of it and were quick to snatch it up. In the period in between (3 years) we were surprised that it didn't get a more notable reception on the independent film circuit. The skillful cinematography made some of the scenes-- with the workers in the belly of the ship, the narrator's "getting his sea legs" scene with the piano in the ballroom, the dual between 1900 and Jelly Roll Morton, and others-- so memorable that seeing it again was like homecoming. Although the narrator was a less than stellar choice and the "romance" was eye-rolling bad, I recommend this for any collector.